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BeyondBlue Hello! Read this if you're not sure how to get started
  • replies: 0

Welcome This section of the Beyond Blue Forums is for talking about our experiences with depression. There are lots of chats about how it makes us feel, what it’s like to live with depression and what has worked to help in these times. Thank you for ... View more

Welcome This section of the Beyond Blue Forums is for talking about our experiences with depression. There are lots of chats about how it makes us feel, what it’s like to live with depression and what has worked to help in these times. Thank you for coming this far, we know it can be really hard to take these steps if depression is in your life - we see you and think this is a great step. To get the most out of this space we have a few tips: Get involved. The Forums work best for you when you get active and post where you can. Now, we know that can be really hard, especially when you are experiencing depression. So, if you can post something supportive to someone else here, that would be an incredible start. Speak from the heart. This community wants to know how YOU feel and what has worked for YOU. We trust that you have something unique to say and we can’t wait to hear it. Check in. Lots of the discussions in this section of the Forums have been going for years and they are some of the richest conversations we have. Keep checking in to get new ideas and offer your support. We know it can be tough to start, but when you are ready we want to hear your thoughts. If you need some time to get to know the community, that's okay! Have a look around and see where you want to get involved. Thank you for being here! Beyond Blue

Jeriava How do I talk to my doctor?
  • replies: 9

I’ve been struggling with my life for the past 7-8 years but I finally made an appointment with a doctor. I feel really scared though because I don’t ever go to the doctor for anything, and I havent seen this doctor for so many years that I’m really ... View more

I’ve been struggling with my life for the past 7-8 years but I finally made an appointment with a doctor. I feel really scared though because I don’t ever go to the doctor for anything, and I havent seen this doctor for so many years that I’m really scared that they’ll judge me or won’t believe anything I say. I’m really anti social so I feel like I won’t be able to say what I wanna say or I’ll say the wrong thing causing them to just dismiss me and move me along without helping. I’m just tired of feeling alone, depressed and just worthless but I’m really scared to talk to them.

AGrace SELF HELP TIPS FOR MANAGING DEPRESSION
  • replies: 132

Hi Everyone, Here are some ideas you might like to try for managing symptoms of depression. Of course everyone's different, so let us know what works for you, and please feel free to add to the list... Mindfulness – through breathing or engaging the ... View more

Hi Everyone, Here are some ideas you might like to try for managing symptoms of depression. Of course everyone's different, so let us know what works for you, and please feel free to add to the list... Mindfulness – through breathing or engaging the 5 senses Distress Tolerance – Accepting Emotions and Self Soothing Distraction – Put the thoughts/feelings aside and come back to them when you are ready to deal with them Positive Affirmations – Have some affirmations written down repeat them to yourself daily Sleep/Exercise/Diet – All 3 aspects of our lifestyle can impact the way we think/feel Increasing Pleasurable Activities – Engage in at least one pleasurable activity per day

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Person96 Pregnant and Struggling
  • replies: 1

Hi everyone..... I’m 24 and currently pregnant with my first child and have been battling depression for years now and have had to stop taking my medication as a result of the pregnancy. I am really struggling with blocking out dark thoughts and I am... View more

Hi everyone..... I’m 24 and currently pregnant with my first child and have been battling depression for years now and have had to stop taking my medication as a result of the pregnancy. I am really struggling with blocking out dark thoughts and I am worried that the stress I experience will have a negative impact on my unborn child. There are many other factors involved; I recently lost my mining job due to COVID, I separated from my long term partner of 7 years and have been forced to sell my home, before finding out I was pregnant I was a heavy smoker and drinker and now that I no longer have those releases i’m stuck with my own thoughts all day and night. Most days i’m bed ridden and struggling to find a reason to get up..... it doesn’t help having nobody to talk to..... this is the first time i’ve reached out for help from people other than family.... I just need people to talk to that won’t judge me...

Jah942041 Depression following a breakup
  • replies: 1

I have struggled with depression on and off for a couple of years. In November last year my five year relationship ended and I had the worst depression I’d ever experienced. During lockdown I met someone online and we instantly clicked, when lockdown... View more

I have struggled with depression on and off for a couple of years. In November last year my five year relationship ended and I had the worst depression I’d ever experienced. During lockdown I met someone online and we instantly clicked, when lockdown was lifted we were inseparable. I was so happy and thought we’d be together forever. Over the months I noticed that he had quite a quick temper, a negativity that would impact my own mood and thinking. Then I found out that he smokes weed everyday. I panicked and ended the relationship because as someone who doesn’t do drugs I felt scared and betrayed that he hadn’t told me. Now I’m feeling the same deep depression I felt after my five year relationship ended and I’m struggling to separate my depression from the want to get back together with this person. I can’t tell whether I want this person back because I’m depressed or whether I still love them. Everyone including my therapist tells me I’ve done the right thing but it doesn’t feel that way. I’m not finding my therapy helpful and could use some other suggestions including thoughts on medications because I’m struggling to cope with everyday life with this overwhelming sadness.

Maxmumma The darkness is winning
  • replies: 3

The darkness is overwhelming, I haven’t had a depression episode in quite a while (years!) and this one has hit quickly and hard. I have had cancer scare this year and the surgery took 6 months to recover from, and I coped through all of that surpris... View more

The darkness is overwhelming, I haven’t had a depression episode in quite a while (years!) and this one has hit quickly and hard. I have had cancer scare this year and the surgery took 6 months to recover from, and I coped through all of that surprisingly well. I fell and broke a toe then fell again and damaged a ligament in my knee - still ok, happy. But today, the darkness has been with me since I woke at 5:00am and is sucking me down into an abyss. It’s like my very soul is filling with the darkness creating a void, a black hole, a nothingness. I normally get some warning signs before The darkness takes hold not this time though. Invisible, worthless, useless, irrelevant, useless, empty, auto pilot, invisible. Nobody around me notices that I am drowning right in front of them! Tears are ever present, rage bubbles just below the surface, contempt lingers on my lips praying to be released. I sit and chat and nobody realises that the darkness is consuming me right then, that my soul is screaming in agony, and all around are deaf. I am terrified

_Nik_ I feel lost and alone.
  • replies: 6

Hey, It's been a while since I have been on these forums, and I thought after all the help I received last year and at the beginning of this year, that I wouldn't need to be back. But... I've almost lost everyone in my life. Not physically, no. But a... View more

Hey, It's been a while since I have been on these forums, and I thought after all the help I received last year and at the beginning of this year, that I wouldn't need to be back. But... I've almost lost everyone in my life. Not physically, no. But all my friends and all the people that supported me through my darkest times are slowly slipping away from me. And now I feel like I am having another low in life, but there's no-one to talk to, no-one to help me. I feel like I'm asking too much of them anyway. No-one needs me weighing on their conscience. And I... I do have people still here. A couple friends here and there, and when I ask them for help they give it. But it never makes me feel any better. I feel so lost, and that I'm slowly receding further and further back into the darkness, back into my old, isolating habits. I want to be happy, get back all the time that I missed wishing I wasn't here. And now that I don't wish that of myself anymore, I just wish I could be happy, like I didn't have to feel all these random sadness anymore. There shouldn't be this much to be sad about. But I don't know why I feel like this. I should be happy. I should be grateful. But all I do is find myself feeling so alone and lost, and scrolling through the internet, for something to make me feel something. To not feel so angry all the time. To not feel so sad for no reason. I've been taking medication to help me sleep for a month now. I don't know if it's got anything to do with that, because I don't exactly remember how I felt beforehand (since days right now feel like they are mixed into one, as I am at home all the time now), but I feel like ever since I started taking that, these feelings have gotten more random, if that makes sense. Perhaps I'm making that up, after all, I don't remember how I felt beforehand, and if that was any different to the way I feel now. I just don't want to feel like this anymore. - Nik

Agent79 No job, no future
  • replies: 9

Tonight I received noticed of another failed job application. Another one of those "Thanks but go screw yourself" emails. Context: It was retail Went for a job interview on Wednesday after completing their online shit, only to find that the person in... View more

Tonight I received noticed of another failed job application. Another one of those "Thanks but go screw yourself" emails. Context: It was retail Went for a job interview on Wednesday after completing their online shit, only to find that the person interviewing me was not there, had someone else come over to do the interview. I screwed up on the first question "Tell us about yourself". God damn it shoot me now, I thought. I said what I need, previous retail experience in similar role, volunteering once a week, that was it. How much should they know? I can't talk about my interests because I am embarrassed by them. I told them my availability, my understanding of the job and that was it. Now they sent me less than 3 hours ago the Go Screw Yourself email. Well, screw you too. They are going to regret this decision. I have been on the job search for a long time now, failed art school, failed uni, last job was when I was 17. I volunteer once a week with a charity shop with warehouse stuff, donated furniture donations etc. I can't even get a job as a trolley collector, this is how screwed my situation is. I am 25 but have the mind of a 85 year old, meaning I have done my bit for the world so let me die. And don't give me that "You will get one eventually" or "You're 25, you're still young". No I won't and No I am not. I have failed my family, my friends and myself. There is no hope for me. I am done acting civilised, that never works, we always get smeared. I will kill someone to get a job if I have to. Just give me a job so I can at least be happy for once

bumbledbee Feeling Worthless
  • replies: 5

I can't cope. don't want to go to work. I feel worthless. I have no appetite. All I want to do is curl up under a blanket in the dark. Negative thoughts just won't go away.

I can't cope. don't want to go to work. I feel worthless. I have no appetite. All I want to do is curl up under a blanket in the dark. Negative thoughts just won't go away.

Cobulus Here to introduce myself & find support
  • replies: 2

Hey Guys, I'm Cobulus, 33yo male with no diagnosed illnesses. I say that last one because although I'm undiagnosed I'm pretty sure I know what's going on. So I'm here because I need help. I've spent my entire life with these feelings and I'm at a poi... View more

Hey Guys, I'm Cobulus, 33yo male with no diagnosed illnesses. I say that last one because although I'm undiagnosed I'm pretty sure I know what's going on. So I'm here because I need help. I've spent my entire life with these feelings and I'm at a point now where I have no reprieve and am unable to do it alone. I've lead a reasonably unremarkable life up until this point, just trying to work my way up and earn some money to start a happy life with a home and partner. I have worked at the same job/company for almost 16 years now, had many chances to evolve and grow but have always been let down/failed to make it stick. I honestly think I am borderline mentally handicapped. I have struggled with learning my entire life, my memory has always been rubbish and is getting worse, I am extremely lazy despite wanting otherwise. Anytime I say something about it, I'm just met with something like "you're not dumb" or "don't put yourself down". I have had an up and down journey with fitness, I get into it hard but find my ability to learn holds me back so I fail. Basically everything I do, I try really hard with, to the point I try and make up my shortcomings with trying harder. Whatever I try though, I always end up failing. So I'm pretty sure I have depression, I don't need to see a doctor for them to confirm that. I just want to know, if I ever find the courage to see a doctor about it, will the medication actually do something about feeling so stupid? I have read that depression has an affect on cognitive function, but surely it won't fix a lifetime of stupidity? Also sorry if this is more info than a normal introduction, I just don't want to write multiple threads in multiple sections. Any advice/help will be greatly appreciated... Or even just some friendly chat with people who feel the same. Thank you for reading.

Happyriding Depression and anger. *Trigger warning: violence*
  • replies: 4

Hi there, I'm new here and hoping this will help me in some way. In recent months I have fallen into the depression hole and have some anger management issues. I have never been an aggressive person, but lately it doesn't take much to get me fired up... View more

Hi there, I'm new here and hoping this will help me in some way. In recent months I have fallen into the depression hole and have some anger management issues. I have never been an aggressive person, but lately it doesn't take much to get me fired up. I don't know why it's happening. My gp has put me on happy pills, (so I'll see how that goes),and suggested I see a psychologist. Don't have the money for that, so looking at alternatives. Hoping that just having a chat may help a bit. Cheers

CaptainCab What's wrong with me?
  • replies: 8

Hi, I went through a separation earlier this year which has caused a few bumps in the road. My current work contract expires end of December and not being renewed and I am constantly picking apart my life as to why I don't have any formal qualificati... View more

Hi, I went through a separation earlier this year which has caused a few bumps in the road. My current work contract expires end of December and not being renewed and I am constantly picking apart my life as to why I don't have any formal qualifications, why I don't have any friends, why I have restricted interests (the same from when I was a teenager), why I don't know much about how the world works (or even simple things work) and why I just haven't been able to find happiness or purpose in my life. As you can imagine I have very low self-esteem, most things I attempt I fail at even if it's doing "manly things" like trying to fix something, I just always end up stuffing it up and I get angry with myself "that's what you get for trying" mentality and that has been my whole mindset for as long as I can remember, if it's too hard I won't be able to do it or meh why bother? I am in my mid 40's, I am on my own and I don't want the rest of my life to just pass me by still feeling this way. I don't know what kind of support/help I need in posting this. I feel like I am a failure and not sure what I can really offer anybody whether it be personally or professionally. I am on medication for depression/anxiety for what it's worth. Thanks for reading

Jaqui Disconnected
  • replies: 4

Hi i recently decided to get help with my depression. As soon as I start feeling I am making progress I slipped back further. people make me lose myself. I have nearly completely disconnected from my husband. Being near him makes me worse and I slip ... View more

Hi i recently decided to get help with my depression. As soon as I start feeling I am making progress I slipped back further. people make me lose myself. I have nearly completely disconnected from my husband. Being near him makes me worse and I slip further into my depression. i have stopped functioning properly and find myself deliberately getting drunk so I crash and don’t have to interact! i have started seeing a physiologist but my last session was reading a pamphlet out loud! sigh! Anyone struggling with people??

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